1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cool air supply in a freezer-equipped refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 13 to 16 show conventional cool air wind passage structures. FIG. 13 is an appearance view of a conventional freezer-equipped refrigerator. FIG. 14 is a transparent perspective view showing a cool air wind structure of the conventional freezer-equipped refrigerator. As seen from FIG. 13, a freezer-equipped refrigerator 1 includes a refrigerating chamber 2 and freezing chambers 3 located below the refrigerating chamber 2. As shown in FIG. 14, the freezing chamber 3 incorporates a heat exchanger 4 and a fan 5 for circulating cool air located above the fan 5. The cool wind blown off from the fan 5 is branched into several areas. It blows off into the refrigerating chamber 2 as follows. It is taken in from an inlet 6, passes a duct 8 via an opening/closing damper 7 and blows off toward respective shelves from cool air blow-off openings 9. The blown off cool wind cools food or others in the refrigerating chamber 2 and drawn into an inhalation inlet 10. The cool wind further passes a return wind passage 11 to return to the lower part of the heat exchanger 4. Then, the cool wind is cooled again by the heat exchanger 4 and sent to the refrigerating chamber 2 and the like, and such circulation is repeated. Reference numeral 12 represents an element for detecting the temperature within the refrigerating chamber. FIG. 15 shows a control substrate 80 for controlling whether or not the circulation of cool wind should be carried out. FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a control of the circulation of cool wind. When the element 12 detects that the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 2 is higher than a setting value, the fan 5 rotates and the damper 7 opens so that cool wind is supplied to the respective shelves of the refrigerating chamber 2. Incidentally, in this case, it is assumed that a compressor for supplying refrigerant to the heat exchanger is rotating. When the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 2 detected by the element 12 is lower than the setting value, the damper 7 is closed. The fan 5, in accordance with the temperature of other chambers, continues to rotate or stops. By the repetition of such an operation, the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 2 is controlled so as to be constant.
One example of the conventional technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Examined Application Hei. 7-11379.
Owing to the structure and control described above, the conventional freezer-equipped refrigerator has the following problems. If the chamber in a uniform temperature zone are sectioned by plural shelves or boxes, the temperature difference between the temperature of the element 12 and the sectioned places is increased. Accordingly, it is difficult to maintain the temperature of the refrigerating chamber at a predetermined temperature. Additionally, when the door of the refrigerating chamber 2 is opened, the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 2 increases. However, the temperature does not increase uniformly, and the temperature of an upper zone is increased. If the setting value is lowered in order to suppress such a phenomenon, inversely the temperature of the lowest section becomes lower than the setting value.